ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
President's Secretariat
President of India Reviews the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy, Dundigal
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu reviewed the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad today .
Addressing the cadets, the President said that their career is challenging, rewarding and highly honourable. They have to carry forward the great legacy of those who have served in the Indian Air Force before them. She said that the Indian Air Force has a very inspiring motto ‘Touch the sky with glory’, ‘Nabhah sprisham deeptam’. She expressed confidence that the cadets would imbibe the spirit of this motto and live upto the expectations the nation has from them.
The President said that the great role played by the brave warriors of the Indian Air Force in defending the country in the wars with the hostile neighbour in 1948, 1965 and 1971 is written in golden letters. They demonstrated the same resolve and skills at the Kargil conflict and later, in destroying the terror hideout at Balakot. Thus, the Indian Air Force has a legendary reputation of professionalism, dedication and self-sacrifice.
The President said that the IAF also contributes to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Recently the IAF sprang into action despite adverse weather conditions during the recent earthquake in Turkiye and Syria to provide medical aid and disaster relief. Earlier, the successful evacuation operation to airlift more than 600 Indians and other nationals stuck in Kabul, involving flying and landing in a hostile environment is a testimony to the high capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
The President said that the ability to absorb technology at a rapid pace would be essential for defence preparedness at land, sea and air. She said that each and every officer of the armed forces has to keep in mind an integrated perspective of defence preparedness. She was happy to note that the Air Force is taking steps to be ever-ready, especially future-ready keeping in view the overall security scenario including the challenges of fighting a high technology war in a network-centric future battle space.
Please click here to see the President's Speech
Prime Minister's Office
PM congratulates Indian Women's 4x400 Relay Team for winning the Silver Medal at the Asian Games
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed pride for Indian Women's 4x400 Relay Team winning the Silver Medal at the Asian Games. Shri Modi congratulated Vithya Ramraj, Aishwarya Kailash Mishra, Prachi and Subha Venkatesan for this remarkable performance.
In a X post, the Prime Minister said;
“Proud of the Indian Women's 4x400 Relay Team for winning the Silver Medal at the Asian Games.
Huge congratulations to Vithya Ramraj, Aishwarya Kailash Mishra, Prachi and Subha Venkatesan for this remarkable performance. Their grit, determination and teamwork have brought this joy to the nation!”
Ministry of Rural Development
99.7 per cent payment of MGNREGA wages being made through e-transfer
“The e-transfer of fund payment system is implemented in all over the India except 4 IAP districts of Chhattisgarh and 42 blocks of Manipur State where the cash payment system is going on with the permission of Government of India. In this e-transfer system, the payment is getting credited in to the Bank/Post office account of the beneficiary directly. At present 99.7 per cent payment is made through e-transfer”.
Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act, 2005 is to provide at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult member volunteers to do unskilled manual work. State can provide additional mandays of work over and above of 100 days from its own resources. An additional 50 days of wage employment is provided over and above 100 days in the notified drought affected areas or natural calamity areas in the country on recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. At present, there is no plan to increase days of work under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.
As per section 6 of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 , the Central Government may, by notification, specify the wage rate for its beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Development notifies Mahatma Gandhi NREGA wage rate every year for States/UTs. To compensate the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers against inflation, the Ministry of Rural Development revises the wage rate every year based on change in Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour . The wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each Financial Year.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Notifies Common Format for Issuance of PUC  Across the Country
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has issued a notification dated 14thJune, 2021 for a common format of the PUC  Certificate to be issued across the country, under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989.The salient features of the PUCC are as under-
 Introduction of uniform Pollution Under Control Certificate  format across the country and linking the PUC database with the National Register.
 The concept of Rejection slip is being introduced for the first time. A common format of rejection slip is to be given to the vehicle owner in case the test result value is more than the maximum permissible value, as mandated in the concerned emission norms. This document can be shown at the service centre for getting the vehicle serviced or can be used, in case the PUCC centre device is not working properly when tested at another centre.
 There will be confidentiality of information viz.  Vehicle owner’s mobile number, name and address  engine number and chassis number 
 The owner’s mobile number has been made mandatory, on which an SMS alert will be sent for validation and fee.
 If the enforcement officer has reason to believe that a motor vehicle is not complying with provisions of Emission standards, he may communicate in writing or through electronic mode to direct the driver or any person in-charge of the vehicle to submit the vehicle for conducting the test in any one of the authorized Pollution Under Control  testing stations. If the driver or person in-charge of the vehicle fails to submit the vehicle for compliance or the vehicle fails to comply, the owner of the vehicle shall be liable for payment of penalty.
If the owner fails to comply with this, the registering authority shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing, suspend the certificate of registration of the vehicle and any permit granted, until such time a valid “Pollution under Control “certificate is generated.
 Thus, enforcement would be IT-enabled and would help in better control over polluting vehicles.
 The QR code shall be printed on the form. It will contain the complete information about the PUC Centre.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Digital India Programme
Under the Digital India Programme, BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide last mile broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats  in the country through Wi-Fi or any other suitable broadband technology including Fiber to the Home . As on 01.11.2021, a total number of 1,66,088Gram Panchayats have been made Service Ready in the country, including 8,386 Gram Panchayats in Chhattisgarh.
All the Gram Panchayats are to be provided broadband connectivity under the BharatNet project.Further, as part of this project, the last mile connectivity is to be provided through Wi-Fi or any other suitable broadband technology in all GPs to access broadband/internet services.The scope of BharatNethas beenrecently extended upto all inhabited villages beyond Gram Panchayats. The targeted date for completion of the project is August, 2023.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister’s Interaction with the Indian Community in Germany
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed and interacted with the Indian community in Germany at the Theatre am Potsdamer Platz, Berlin. More than 1600 members of the vibrant Indian community in Germany consisting of students, researchers and professionals participated in the event. Prime Minister noted their contribution to Germany’s economy and society and enthused them to contribute to India's "Vocal for Local" initiative by promoting Indian products globally.
Ministry of Mines
G20 Energy Transition Working Group  Meeting & Event by Mines Ministry at Gandhinagar
Mines Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj to Chair Session on “Energy Security & Diversified Supply Chains”
This year the G20 meetings are being held under Indian presidency in India. Ministry of Mines is one of the participating ministries in the energy transition working group deliberations under the ongoing G20. The first meeting of ETWG was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, in February, 2023 and the second ETWG deliberation will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 2nd to 4th April, 2023.
In the upcoming meeting of 2nd ETWG, Secretary, Mines Shri Vivek Bharadwaj will be chairing a session on the issue of “Energy security and diversified supply chains” tomorrow  along with chairperson, CEA. During this session a presentation on the topic will also be made by the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Mines. The meeting is to deliberate on the feedback from members on discussions held during the 1st ETWG on the issue. The discussions during 2nd ETWG will provide broad framework regarding conclusions for the Indian Presidency on the issue.
During this 2nd ETWG, the Secretary, Ministry of Mines will also be releasing a study report on the topic “Addressing vulnerability in the supply chain of critical minerals through international collaboration”. This study has been commissioned by Ministry of Mines with a view to have an overall picture for the entire globe on the issue.
There will be a side event to further deliberation and to elicit inputs from a larger spectrum on the issue. The side event is scheduled at 14:00 to 16:30 hrs. on 03.04.2023. This side event is being organized by the Ministry of Mines jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and with assistance from ADB and the CEEW as knowledge partner. The topic for the side event is, “Diversifying renewables & critical minerals supply chains to advance energy transition”.
Two panel discussions will also be held in this side event. The first panel will be discussing the topic, “Securing renewable energy supply chains” and the second panel will be discussing the topic “Strengthening the minerals value chain by increasing production and infusing circularity’.
Prime Minister's Office
PM addresses inaugural session of PIO-Parliamentarian Conference
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today addressed the inaugural session of the PIO-Parliamentarian Conference in New Delhi.
Welcoming the delegates to the Conference, the Prime Minister said that while many people may have left India over the course of hundreds of years, India continues to have a place in their minds and hearts. He said it is not surprising that people of Indian origin have integrated themselves fully with their adopted lands. He added that while they kept the Indian-ness alive in themselves, they also imbibed the language, food, and dress of those countries.
The Prime Minister said that it appears as if a Mini World Parliament of Indian origin is gathered in Delhi today. He noted that persons of Indian origin are today Prime Ministers of Mauritius, Portugal and Ireland. He added that persons of Indian origin have also been Heads of State and Heads of Government in many other countries.
The Prime Minister said that the global impression about India has changed over the last three to four years. He said the reason for this is that India is transforming itself. He said the hopes and aspirations of India are at an all time high. He said signs of irreversible change are visible in every sector.
The Prime Minister said that PIOs are like permanent ambassadors of India, wherever they reside, and he always attempts to meet them when he is travelling abroad.
The Prime Minister praised External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for continuously keeping an eye on issues being faced by Indian citizens abroad. In this context, he mentioned the "MADAD" portal for real time monitoring and response of consular grievances.
The Prime Minister said that the Government believes that NRIs are partners for India's development. He said that NRIs have an important position in the Action Agenda till 2020, drafted by the NITI Aayog.
The Prime Minister said that the values of Indian civilization and culture can provide guidance to the entire world, in an era of instability.
The Prime Minister said that India has very close ties with ASEAN countries, which will be showcased during Republic Day, a few days from now.
Prime Minister's Office
PM's departure statement ahead of his visit to Bali for G20 Leaders' Summit
I will be visiting Bali, Indonesia on 14-16 November 2022, to participate in the 17th G20 Leaders’ Summit, to be chaired by Indonesia.
During the Bali Summit, I will have extensive discussions with other G20 Leaders on key issues of global concern, such as reviving global growth, food & energy security, environment, health, and digital transformation. On the sidelines of the G20 Summit, I will meet with Leaders of several other participating countries, and review the progress in India’s bilateral relations with them. I look forward to addressing the Indian community in Bali at a Reception on 15 November 2022.
In a significant moment for our country and citizens, President of Indonesia Joko Widodo will hand over the G20 Presidency to India at the closing ceremony of the Bali Summit. India will officially assume the G20 Presidency from 1st December 2022. I will also extend my personal invitation to G20 Members and other invitees to our G20 Summit next year.
During my interactions at the G20 Summit, I will highlight India’s achievements, and our unwavering commitment to collectively address global challenges. India’s G20 Presidency will be grounded in the theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth One Family One Future”, which underlines the message of equitable growth and shared future for all.
Ministry of Education
Government of India has taken several measures to give special focus to higher education-HRD Minister
Following measures have been taken by Government to give special focus/attention to Higher Education:
- Issuing of new University Grants Commission  regulation for Open and Distance Learning that allows entry of reputed institutions to offer education on the distance mode.
 Using of ICT technology- Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds  portal to reach out to people and allow them to secure good quality education.
- Opening of more centrally funded institutions.
- Encouraging opening of institutions by State Governments through the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan  which aims to achieve equity, access and excellence in higher education. The scheme supports components such as upgrading autonomous colleges to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in un-served and underserved areas as well as providing infrastructure grants to universities and colleges to scale up capacity.
- More scholarship programmes to supplement the cost of education.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Capacity Building of Bangladesh civil servants started at NCGG, Mussoorie
1,800 civil servants of Bangladesh to be imparted training in partnership with MEA by 2025
The two-week 53rd Capacity Building programme in the Field Administration for the Civil Servants of Bangladesh was inaugurated at National Centre for Good Governance  at Mussoorie today. Prior to 2019, fifteen hundred civil servants of Bangladesh have been imparted training at NCGG. After successful completion of phase–I, capacity building of another 1,800 civil servants of Bangladesh have been taken up, which is planned to be completed by 2025.
This is the only institute in the country to have trained 1,727 field–level officers of Bangladesh Civil Service such as Assistant Commissioners, Upa-Zila Nirbhai Officers/ SDMs and Additional Deputy Commissioners. It also imparted training to all the then active deputy commissioners of Bangladesh. It has been a decade since the capacity building programmes were initiated and thus many of the trainee officers have reached levels of Additional Secretary and Secretary in the Bangladesh Government resulting in synergy in governance between the two countries.
The National Centre for Good Governance was set up in 2014 by the Government of India as an apex institution in the country. It focuses on good governance, policy reforms, training and capacity building, and to also work as a think tank. It has taken up capacity building of civil servants of several foreign countries in partnership with MEA. It has imparted training to civil servants of 15 countries such as Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Seychelles, Gambia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan, Myanmar and Cambodia. These training were found to be highly useful by the participating officers.
The Capacity Building programme for civil servants of developing countries aims at equipping them with cutting edge knowledge, skills and tools to deliver and design effective public policy in an increasingly complex and inter-dependent world. It is expected that this will achieve good governance and ultimately sustainable development apart from providing rich cross-country experience so that there is no need to reinvent the wheel. The Centre is sharing the initiatives being taken in the country such as e-governance, digital India, universalisation of public services, approach to sustainable development goals, usage of Aadhar in service delivery, public grievance redressal mechanism and disaster management with special reference to coastal region among other important areas.
During the programme, the participants will also be taken to see various developmental works like Delhi Metro, Smart city, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Central Information Commission, Election Commission of India, etc.
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SNC/RR
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Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform under US - India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership
A meeting between the U.S. Department of Energy  and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy , Government of India was held on August 29, 2023, to launch the new U.S. - India Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform  under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership. RETAP was announced during the June 22, 2023 meeting in Washington D. C., between His Excellency Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States of America and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Prime Minister Modi, when the two leaders announced the expansion of collaboration on new and emerging technologies to accelerate the clean energy transition. This launch marks rapid translation of the leaders’ vision into reality.
Led by DOE Deputy Secretary David Turk and MNRE Secretary Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, the RETAP was established to take bilateral collaboration further with a result-oriented, time-bound technology-focus. It is intended to advance new and emerging renewable technologies with a view toward deployment and scaling. RETAP’s initial focus is to be on green/clean hydrogen, wind energy, long duration energy storage, and to explore geothermal energy, ocean/tidal energy and other emerging technologies as mutually determined in the future.
DOE and MNRE outlined an initial workplan regarding RETAP collaboration. Work is guided by five themes:
- Research & Development
- Piloting & Testing of Innovative Technologies
- Advanced Training & Skill Development
- Policy and Planning for Advancing RET and enabling technologies
- Investment, Incubation and Outreach programmes
During the meeting, the delegations shared information about emerging technology developments in each country, including hydrogen, energy storage, wind, geothermal energy, and marine renewable energy technologies, and clean energy deployment programs.
Going forward, DOE and MNRE intend to enhance RETAP collaboration, including potentially through the creation of a RETAP Steering Committee, joint working groups and collaboration among subject matter experts.
Ministry of Communications
Goa Postal Division Launches First-Ever Special Cancellation in Collaboration with Assumpta Convent High School
Goa, 7 July 2023
Goa Postal Division today released a Special Cancellation, marking the commencement of the Golden Jubilee celebration of Assumpta Convent High School in Sarzora-Chinchinim. The ceremony took place at the Chinchinim Post Office. Shri. G. S. Rane, Sr. Supdt. of Post Offices, Goa Division, Panaji, released the Special Cancellation in the presence of Sr. M. Jessy, Headmistress of Assumpta Convent High School, Chinchinim, Mr. Rolando De Melo, Ex-Teacher of Assumpta Convent High School, Chinchinim, and Secretary of the Goa Philatelic & Numismatic Society.
This initiative by the Goa Postal Division marks the first-ever Special Cancellation released through a school in the region. Assumpta Convent High School holds the distinction of being the first school registered with the Department of Post for the school's Philately Club, known as the "Assumpta Philatelic and Numismatic Club," since 2019.
Shri. G.S. Rane, Sr. Supdt. of Post Offices, Goa Division, Panaji, encouraged all the students of Assumpta Convent High School to cultivate the hobby of collecting postage stamps and appreciating this unique Special Cancellation.
The Special Cancellation will be available on demand to the general public and philatelists for a duration of one month, starting from July 7, 2023. It can be obtained on ordinary articles or printed stationery items that bear a minimum postage stamp at the Chinchinim Post Office, located at 403715.PIB Panaji | Gautam SK/S.Thakur/D.Rane
Follow us on Social Media:@PIBPanaji /PIBPanaji /pib_goa pibgoa[at]gmail[dot]com /PIBGoa
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